at the time, danger of pulling the tucked strands loose is incurred, and more so on a grade, owing to the increased pressure of the grip. For these reasons we were obliged to make improvements in the methods of splicing our cables. We now double lock the strands, and have succeeded in making the cable at that point where the strands are tucked the same size as the regular cable. This suits us very well, and the loosening of a strand on our line is very unusual.

As regards the operation of these roads, as the travel increases the operating expenses are very much less in proportion. For an equipment of twenty-five cars, with eight miles of cable, you might safely calculate upon an expenditure of four hundred dollars a day. This, however, will provide for the transportation of twenty-five thousand people a day, just as easily as it will for fifteen thousand.

REMARKS OF MR. AUGUSTINE W. WRIGHT ON THE

CABLE POWER.

Mr. Augustine W. Wright, of St. Louis, was called for. Mr. Wright then said: Mr. President: The subject has been so fully discussed that I do not know that I can add anything to it. I would be very glad to answer any questions. The report is quite exhaustive, and with your own remarks and those of Mr. Lawless, I do not know that I can add anything. Regarding the cost of operation I know of a road of thirteen miles, which is now running at five hundred dollars a day, including all the operating

expenses.

Mr. Sage, of Easton: How many cars?

Mr. Wright They are running thirty-three trains; two cars in a train. These are the operating expenses only, not including interest. As to the question of the slot, I attribute the motion of the slot to the action of the frost, and I think on the roads that have experienced trouble in this respect, it has been largely confined to the first winter. Your experience, Mr. President, in Chicago will verify this statement. It is due, in my opinion, to breaking up the pavement and rebuilding the road; the joints. having been opened up, fill with water, which freezes and expands with immense force. After the first winter these openings are closed up, so that there is comparatively little trouble.

Mr. Sage: Will you inform us which road you speak of with

thirteen miles and thirty-three trains; are there heavy grades upon that road?

Mr. Wright: No, sir; the heaviest grade is about six per cent. Regarding the question that was asked, Mr. President, as to the extra resistance of grade, any gentleman here can readily calculate that for himself. The technical man speaks of a grade as a per cent.; you speak of a grade, às Mr. Harris said, of ten per cent.; then the resistance of the ten per cent. grade would be ten per cent. of the weight of the train; or in speaking of it in tons of two thousand pounds the extra resistance of the ten per cent. grade over and above the resistance of the straight and level track would be two hundred pounds.

The report of the Committee was, on motion, adopted.

INVITATION OF WASHINGTON COMPANIES TO INSPECT THE CITY.

The President: As the gentlemen of the Washington streetrailway companies have kindly invited the delegates to a trip to look at the various points of interest in this city, it is about time that we should adjourn, in order to get lunch, and be ready to accept that invitation at half-past one, or as near that time as possible.

I will say this on my own responsibility, that as the weather seems to be changing a little, if it should be raining or be so inclement as to be undesirable to take the trip after lunch, we, of course, will resume our session here at two o'clock. The question for the Association now to decide is whether on account of taking this trip to see these points of so much interest in this city, the Association desires to have an evening session, say, from half-past seven until nine o'clock, or whether we shall try to force into to-morrow all the rest of the business which is to come before the Association. I should be glad to hear from some of the delegates on this matter.

Mr. Littell, of Louisville: I move we adjourn till half-past seven o'clock this evening. Carried.

THE DRIVE.

A party of over one hundred and fifty ladies and gentlemen left Willard's Hotel about 2 o'clock, P. M., in forty open carriages, and were driven over the following course: Out Fourteenth street to Thomas' Statue Circle, then west on Massachusetts avenue to Scott's Statue Circle, thence north out Sixteenth street to Boundary street, thence to Fourteenth street, thence across country to the Soldiers' Home and through the long drive of the Soldiers' Home. The entire party was photographed on the steps and in front of the Soldiers' Home. The return drive was as follows: From the Soldiers' Home back to Fourteenth street, thence over Little Road to Woodley Lane Road, thence out Woodley Lane Road past the President's private mansion to Tenleytown Road, thence to Georgetown, thence Road street to Twenty-eighth street, down Twenty-eighth street to P street, thence east to Dupont Statue Circle, past the Chinese Embassy Building, thence down Connecticut avenue, past the British Minister's Building to K street, thence returning to Willard's, passing the rear of the White House. The weather was delightful and the drive was thoroughly enjoyed.

WEDNESDAY'S SESSION-EVENING.

The President called the meeting to order at 7.45 o'clock.

The President: A request was made by one of the delegates just as we were about to adjourn this morning. The Secretary will please state the request, and possibly some one may be able to give the information desired.

DISCUSSION CONCERNING ELEVATED CABLE RAILROADS.

The Secretary: Mr. W. C. Doubleday, on behalf of Mr. Bonn, the President of the North Hudson County Railway Company, desires information in regard to the relative advantages in operating an elevated cable over a surface cable road. That Company, as most of you know, operates an elevated cable road in Hoboken, N. J. It commences at the river and runs up to quite an elevation, a distance of over a mile altogether. The President of that Company desires to know whether there is any other elevated railroad run by cable power, and what the relative advantage is in comparison with the surface cable railroads.

The President: Is there any one in the Association who can give the information desired? If so, we shall be very glad to hear from him.

Mr. Wright, of St. Louis: I should say, among the advantages of an elevated cable road would be the freedom from street obstruction, which would permit a high rate of speed. They would be released from the expense of cleaning the conduit, and the pulleys would be accessible. They could use a larger carrying sheave, which would require less power. On the surface road, the tendency, in the first place, in our President's experience, was to use a large carrying sheave. Theoretically, the larger the carrying sheave, with the same axles, the less power it takes to propel the cable; but, practically, as Mr. Holmes found, that leverage worked in two ways; the snow and ice freezing on the pulleys pevented their turning, so that Mr. Holmes changed his larger carrying sheave to a twelve inch sheave; and that is generally accepted now in cable practice as the best size sheave, considering all the points. On an elevated road, providing there is sufficient head-room, they could use a larger sheave and would require less power. Greater speed could be maintained with equal safety.

Mr. Lawless, of Kansas City: There is another important

point which relates to elevated cable lines, and that is the freedom from mud, dirt and grit, which in a conduit is a matter of importance. The amount of mud, dirt, water and grit that gets into a conduit, although the opening is only three-quarters of an inch, is considerable; and there is quite a degree of suction in the conduit whereby a great deal of dust is drawn into it, which gathers upon the bearings of the carrying pulleys; and I can see upon an elevated line that that objection would be very trifling, while the item of cleaning the conduit would be entirely dispensed with.

The President: We will now listen to the next report.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LOCATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF CAR-HOUSE AND STABLES.

Mr. C. Densmore Wyman, of New York, Chairman of the Committee, read the report as follows:

THE AMERICAN STREET-RAILWAY ASSOCIATION,

Mr. President and Gentlemen:-At the annual meeting of this Association, held in Chicago, in October, 1883, an able and exhaustive article upon the subject of Street Railroad Buildings, prepared by a committee of which Mr. Augustine W. Wright, C. E., was chairman, was read, and as the records of the Convention very correctly express it, was received with marked applause.

Made our permanent possession by incorporation in the published minutes of the proceedings of the Convention, and in a revised and enlarged form made a part of Mr. Wright's excellent manual, American Street-Railways," the report has been a familiar hand book to all of us upon the subject of which it treats since the date of its issue. It urged with emphasis, supported by liberal and convincing quotations from eminent authorities, the primal necessity in all street car stables of abundant light, perfect ventilation and thorough drainage, reasoning rightly that the securing of these qualities in construction was dictated not only by humanity but demanded by economics.

The securing of the right of way and the getting of the tracks down in the streets is too often made the "pièce de résistance" of street-railroad construction. Once this done, a stable and depot, without much reference to location, is constructed possibly from some old warehouse or unoccupied shed, and horses provided a domicile with stalls, sometimes underground, with poor light, incomplete drainage and imperfect ventilation. The manager confesses that his buildings are not what he would like, but are the best the Company could afford. Surely such a policy is short sighted, for, in the respects above cited, nothing but the best should be good enough, viewed simply as a matter of investment for interest. We shall consider mainly the stables in what follows, since the construction of car-houses and shops follow such well-known and general rules that the discussion of this branch of our topic is comparatively unimportant.